Life Lately

    Wow it has been awhile since I've been here. I guess you could say we've been a little busy. I don't even remember what I last blogged about. Life has been treating us well. I've been taking piano lessons which has been a lot of fun and I get a little proud of myself when I master new songs. Austin works a lot, then he comes home and has to take care of us. He's probably tired, I imagine. We are both still serving in the Young Men and Young Women presidencies so we are gone every Wednesday at mutual. It seems like there is something going on every night of the week and I kind of hate it. I just want to hang out with my family every night.

    Oliver is growing like a weed. He is a huge two year old. He talks a lot and argues a lot but he is having more and more days that he is cooperative and easy to compromise with. I like him. He's a really cool kid. He is so sweet to me and has turned into a giant momma's boy. We "snuzzle" all the time and he's always telling me that I'm his favorite and that he loves me. Right now he's back on the not eating train. He'd live on chocolate milk and pickles if I let him (and I kind of do). It is impossible to keep clothes on him. I turn my back and he goes straight outside, strips down, and starts "watering" all the trees in the yard. I've been very frustrated with him letting himself out side and leaving the doors wide open. It's the doors open part that I hate. I don't care if he goes out but close the door, dang it! He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse unless he's got the iPad then he wants Curious George. He loves to read. Some of his favorite books are "Don't Push the Button" "No David" "Moo Baa La La La" and our collection of Mother Goose Rhymes. He calls it Big Horse and I have no idea why. He also loves Christmas books. He talks about Santa quite a bit. He has the memory of an elephant (they have good memories right?) and ears like a hawk. Can't sneak anything by that child. He graduated out of his crib, which I was terrified to do, but it was a much smoother transition that I thought. And he's still napping every day. Thank goodness! He's also started responding to is with "Yes sir!" I've never prompted him to do that but we live in the south and all the kids are taught that so maybe he learned it at church. I don't know. It's cute. I always tell him I'm a ma'am not a sir and he says, "Yes man!"
 
   Vivian is still the sweetest little girl around. I can't believe she is almost one year old! It's crazy. Time has gone so much faster with her than with Oliver. Oliver has always seemed a little ahead of schedule, I guess. She has got two teeth on bottom and almost 4 on top. They are taking their sweet time coming in, just hanging out right there at her gum line. She has a crocheted blanket that she loves and she like to hook the yarn on to her bottom teeth and tug on them. It's cute. Oliver never got attached to any toys or blankets or anything and I love to see her funny relationship with that blanket. She squeals and claps her hands when I bring it to her. She has been laughing and smiling her whole life and she is such a joy in our home. She loves her mom and dad equally and is a little stranger shy. She is very intense and she yells a lot. When she yells her whole body gets tense and shakes. She's not mad, she just likes to make noise. Well, sometimes she is mad. When she is excited, or anxious, or happy her legs stick straight out and she swirls her feet around and around in circles. She gets her fingers pinched in a drawer or door about 30 times a day. She out eats Oliver, no contest. She's still an awesome sleeper and doesn't fight me at all when it's time to nap or go to bed. Totally opposite of Oliver. She rocks. She is dying to walk already. She kind of bear crawls now so her knees don't touch the ground and she has started standing up without holding on to anything. She loves going outside and if anybody goes out, even the dog, she gets very upset if she doesn't get to go, too. She will use anything she finds as a drum stick and bangs on everything. Noisy little thing. She gives kisses when I ask for them and a high five. She has such an animated face. She just seems like she has a really fun, outgoing personality. It's like she already has a pretty good sense of humor. She gets such a kick out of making us laugh. She'll pull some pretty cute faces to get a reaction from you. Her and her brother are different in every way. I sure love her.

And finally, the dog. Scout is a very very sweet puppy. She is adorable and well behaved and has been very easy to train thus far. But I'm still having a very hard time being a dog person. I really want to want a dog and I feel like it's the All American thing to do, ha ha. But can there just be a dog that doesn't lick or bark or have hair, or want to sit in my lap all the time? I guess I'm a little bit of a germ-a-phobe and I don't always want to touch her. I feel really bad. She is so sweet! I'm trying to let her grow on me and have a change of heart but, at least today, it's not looking good. She deserves a place that lets her sit on the furniture, and lick their faces and all that other nasty dog stuff people tend to put up with. And a place without a tyrant toddler that mauls the poor thing all day long. I'm paranoid my house will start to smell like dog.This is coming off a little harsh. I sound so cruel and heartless. Maybe I am and I just need to own that. I don't hate her and I'm not mean to her, I just had higher hopes for my attitude toward dogs to change. I thought I would learn to love her, and I just haven't. If I liked dogs then she would be the perfect one. She is seriously so good and adorable! So maybe I can stick it out and she can grow to be a part of our family, or maybe I will surrender and Austin will get a chance to rub a big fat "I told you so!" in my face and then bask in his own glory. Time will tell. Vivian is pretty cute when she plays with her...

Here are a few random pictures so you can see how ginormous my kids have grown to be.